This invention relates to hollow chain links capable of being intertwined to form a jewelry rope chain, and more specifically, to a hollow jewelry chain link that is faceted along an exposed surface that has a greater dimension than an exposed surface of a corresponding annular link, such that a jewelry rope chain formed from such hollow chain link has greater facets than a jewelry rope chain formed from hollow annular links.
A method of deforming hollow chain links is described by Strobel in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,225 and 5,129,220 and such patents"" extensive progeny. Such patents are, however, limited to the processing of annular, toroidal links, where such links are limited to a round profile.
A method of diamond cutting of hollow chain links having an oval profile is described in the present inventors"" U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,540, wherein a high luster surface is formed in an elongated depression along a portion of the outer perimeter of the link.
Other methods of faceting hollow rope chain are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,922 to Cossio and U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,910 to Rozenwasser.
Thus, the faceting of round or annular, toroidal and certain oval hollow links are known. The faceting of such links are, however, limited by their specific shapes or configurations.
It is an object of the present invention is to create a faceted hollow chain link having the maximum amount of faceting along the outer periphery, which presents a highly lustrous appearance that is appealing to a wearer.
The term xe2x80x9cfacetingxe2x80x9d as used herein describes a process whereby the outer periphery of a hollow chain link is provided with a flat, shiny surface. Usually, with respect to solid chain links, the term xe2x80x9cfacetingxe2x80x9d is analogous to diamond cutting, wherein a portion of the outer wall of the chain link is cut away from the link body. With hollow chain links, this process of xe2x80x9cfacetingxe2x80x9d becomes challenging because the outer wall is thin, and any uncontrolled cutting is likely to damage the integrity of the outer wall. Thus, the term xe2x80x9cfacetingxe2x80x9d as applied to hollow chain links usually means deforming with a blunt instrument or a wheel or by any other means known in the art, such that the outer peripheral wall is moved inward or is deformed away from its original position, and not cut away completely like with diamond cutting of solid chain links. Such deformation or contouring is also known in the art as xe2x80x9csimulatedxe2x80x9d faceting, as the final appearance of the hollow link, with a brilliant, lustrous surface, is similar to the appearance created by diamond cutting a solid chain link.
The present invention covers the xe2x80x9cfacetingxe2x80x9d of any non-round, hollow, seamed or seamless link, having any cross section and utilizing any method of faceting as applied to hollow chain links, and a chain link and rope chain manufactured according to such method. Such hollow chain link has a gap and is particularly suited for intertwining with other hollow chain links to form a jewelry rope chain, as such xe2x80x9crope chainxe2x80x9d is well defined in the art. The faceting of one, some or all of the links occurs after the links are intertwined into a rope chain.
Such hollow chain link is defined by a pair of axes defining two distinct link dimensions, i.e. a first dimension along a first axis extending from an edge of the link containing the gap to the opposing edge of the link, and a second dimension along a second axis running perpendicular to the first axis and to which the gap faces. In most cases, the first axis will run along a vertical, through the gap, or run parallel to the gap. Such axes are further defined in accordance with a xe2x80x9cviablexe2x80x9d rope chain construction such that the second axis is defined along a maximum dimension of the link, and such that the gap faces the dimension which defines the widest part of the rope chain. In other words, since the width of a completed rope chain is defined by the widest dimension of a constituent link, the gap in said constituent link is defined in a facing relationship to said widest dimension. The first axis bisecting the gap or running parallel thereto is preferably defined along a link dimension that is less than or equal to the widest dimension of the link. A chain link having a gap that faces the narrowest dimension of the link would not be intertwinable to form a xe2x80x9cviablexe2x80x9d rope chain, since the space available along the interior of the link would not be sufficient to accommodate the intertwining of other links therein, and any chain produced from the xe2x80x9cintertwiningxe2x80x9d of such links would not be representative of a conventional xe2x80x9cropexe2x80x9d chain.
The link of the invention is also provided with at least one surface that is exposed for faceting, such surface usually being defined adjacent the gap and not directly opposite thereto. Such exposed surface has a characteristic faceting surface dimension that is greater than a corresponding faceting surface dimension defined by an annular link having a diameter that is consistent with the widest dimension of the inventive link. In other words, if an annular link were superimposed on top of a link of the present invention, such that the widest dimension of the link of the present invention was the same value as the diameter of the annular link, the surface exposed for faceting on the link of the invention would be greater than an equivalent surface exposed for faceting and defined along an equivalent annular link superimposed thereon. As a result, a greater amount of faceting may be imparted to the hollow chain link of the invention as compared with an equivalently sized rope chain link having an annular configuration, resulting in a rope chain that is more lustrous and brilliant than a comparable rope chain formed from annular chain links.